Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform the Market" rating for the home appliance industry [6][64]. Core Views - The home appliance sector is expected to gradually return to stable growth in both domestic and export sales, driven by high temperatures boosting air conditioning sales domestically, despite export pressures from tariffs and high inventory levels [1][2][18]. - The report highlights a positive trend in major appliance exports, with a narrowing decline in July, particularly in washing machines and vacuum cleaners, which saw growth exceeding 10% [2][23]. - The U.S. home appliance retail market is experiencing a slight decline in sales, but inventory levels are rising, indicating potential benefits for Chinese exporters as U.S. retailers increase stock in response to tariffs [3][33]. Summary by Sections 1. Investment Rating - The home appliance industry is rated as "Outperform the Market" [6][64]. 2. Key Research Tracking and Investment Thoughts - July air conditioning sales in China saw a year-on-year increase of 14%, with total sales reaching 16.437 million units, a 1.6% increase year-on-year [1][19]. - Domestic sales of air conditioners were strong at 10.583 million units, up 14.3% year-on-year, while exports fell by 15.5% to 5.854 million units [1][19]. - The report anticipates a return to stable growth in both domestic and export sales as the peak season ends and promotional events approach [1][19]. - The July export value of home appliances decreased by 3.0% year-on-year, a significant improvement from the nearly 8% decline in previous months [2][23]. - The U.S. home appliance retail sales fell by 1.7% year-on-year in July, with inventory levels rising, indicating a potential opportunity for Chinese exporters [3][33]. 3. Key Data Tracking - The home appliance sector's relative performance was -2.01% this week, with raw material prices for copper and aluminum slightly declining [4][38][41]. - The report notes a decrease in housing construction and sales, with residential construction down 17.3% year-on-year in July [4][51]. - The report provides a list of recommended companies, including Midea Group, Gree Electric, and Haier Smart Home, all rated as "Outperform the Market" [5][61].

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that domestic sales of home appliances showed strong growth in May, while exports faced challenges, with a notable exception for central air conditioning [1] - In May, the year-on-year growth rates for domestic sales of home appliances were as follows: air conditioners 13.4%, refrigerators 13.7%, washing machines 15.2%, televisions -0.9%, range hoods 14.7%, and gas stoves 2.4%. However, central air conditioning saw a 3.0% decline in domestic sales [1] - For external sales, the year-on-year changes were: air conditioners -12.8%, refrigerators -6.4%, washing machines 5.9%, televisions -3.4%, range hoods 3.9%, and gas stoves -12.4%. Central air conditioning experienced a significant 29.0% increase in external sales [1] Group 2 - The report indicates that while domestic sales are robust, external sales are under pressure, with most categories showing weakness except for central air conditioning, which benefits from a low overseas base and proactive market expansion [1] - The outlook for 2025 suggests that domestic subsidies will continue, and external sales may see valuation recovery as tariff expectations stabilize, making consumer spending a key investment theme for the year [1] - The home appliance ETF (159996) is highlighted as a potential area of interest for investors [1]

Core Viewpoint - The report from Wanlian Securities indicates that the expansion of subsidy categories in 2025 will continue to support the release of consumer demand, with a notable 24% year-on-year growth in retail sales of home appliances and audio equipment in Q1 2025 [1][4]. Group 1: Market Overview - In Q1 2025, the home appliance sector experienced a rise due to the implementation of the "old-for-new" policy and export initiatives, but faced a decline due to tariff uncertainties, leading to an overall weak performance in the first half of the year [2]. - The total market value of public fund holdings in the home appliance sector was 120.37 billion yuan at the end of Q1 2025, remaining stable compared to Q4 2024, but showing a slight decrease of 0.1% [2]. - The current valuation of the home appliance index is at a low of 13.58 times TTM PE, indicating a high cost-performance ratio for the sector [2]. Group 2: Domestic Sales - The demand for new configurations is weakening, while the demand for replacements is driving growth in domestic sales [3]. - The real estate market is showing signs of stabilization, but the construction area is expected to decline further in 2025, impacting new housing demand [3]. - The share of second-hand housing transactions is increasing, establishing a solid foundation for replacement demand in home appliances [3]. Group 3: Policy Support - The "old-for-new" policy continues to be a driving force for domestic demand, with a total of 162 billion yuan in central funds allocated in January and April 2025 to support the initiative [4]. - An additional 138 billion yuan in central funds is expected to be distributed in the third and fourth quarters of 2025 [4]. Group 4: Export Outlook - In 2024, the export volume and value of home appliances increased by 20.8% and 14.1% year-on-year, respectively [5]. - From January to May 2025, the export volume and value continued to grow by 6.1% and 2.2% year-on-year, respectively, benefiting from the "export rush" effect [5]. - Despite uncertainties in tariffs, the dependence of China's home appliance exports on the U.S. market is limited, and the trend of increasing penetration in emerging markets is expected to support export resilience [5].